Kaleidoscope
by FlyGirlRhiannonRaaye
Summary: The day starts with a baby nursery and ends with a dangerous mission. Strange stones, mysterious protection from the Wraith, a corrupt governing body, and much more! Sheppard/Teyla romance in abundance.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note:

My absolute favorite Atlantis quote involves Sheppard, Ronon, and Rodney talking about their childhood toys. That was the inspiration for this story. It could stay a one-shot, or turn into more. Either way, I hope you enjoy it.

John Sheppard took a step back and surveyed his work. He had never designed a nursery before, but he hoped that his effort would make up for his inexperience.

"Looks pretty good to me," he said. He ran a hand over his short dark hair and glanced at Ronon Dex who towered behind him. The warrior grimaced.

"It looks like this junk shop that I once hid out in. Are you sure that Teyla wouldn't want something more . . . traditional?"

"Well maybe, Rambo, if you hadn't put a shot gun above the bed like some demented mobile then the room would be a little more welcoming." Rodney McKay's usual sarcastic tone caused Sheppard to roll his eyes.

"What's a mobile?" Ronon asked.

"It's a toy that parents hang above their baby's crib. It has figurines of fluffy bunnies and ducks and stuff hanging from it."

"Who would want that?" Ronon challenged.

"Oh, I don't know, any normal person," Rodney shot back.

"Will you two shut up?" Sheppard said. "It's time to call Teyla."

Rodney and Ronon shut up. Sheppard spoke into his headset.

"Teyla, you there?"

A crisp voice answered, "Yes, John, what is it?"

"We're having a bit of an emergency in your quarters. Could you come help out?"

"An emergency . . . in my quarters? I will be right there."

"Nice going, scaring her," Ronon said.

"Well, did you have a better idea?"

Ronon shrugged his muscled shoulders and his sidearm rose and fell.

_Leave it to Ronon to carry a weapon while decorating a nursery_, Sheppard thought. Actually, the warrior probably had several weapons on his person. He never seemed to be without at least a dozen knives.

After a few minutes of anxious waiting on the part of the three men, Teyla burst into the room.

"What is the emergency?" she asked, breathing heavily. Then she stopped and looked around the room. She took in the wooden crib, assorted stuffed animals, small toys, and stack of baby clothes. She grinned as she said, "What is all this?"

"Well we thought you could use some things for the baby when it arrives. So we asked around and pulled some strings and put this together," Sheppard explained.

Teyla walked to the crib and peered at the triple-barreled shot gun mounted on the wall.

"And this?" she asked.

Ronon shuffled his feet as he said, "It was my favorite toy as a child."

Teyla smiled at him.

"Oh yes, I remember. Somehow I cannot imagine you as a child without one. And the computer," she walked over to a small table that displayed a giant old-fashioned monitor. "This must be from Rodney."

"Not quite a Commodore 64," Rodney apologized. "But I did the best I could."

"Thank you, Rodney."

Teyla moved slowly around the room, examining everything. Sheppard was pleased to see that she seemed to be absorbing it all like a pleasant dream. Finally she stopped in front of a shelf and picked up a small object. She held the clear tube up to her eye and peered inside.

"It is beautiful," she said. "All the colors dancing in the light. The baby will love this."

Sheppard couldn't stop a huge grin from spreading across his face. It had been particularly hard to find that one special gift, but he'd been determined to. Her reaction made it all worth it.

"It's a kaleidoscope. I had one as a kid."

Teyla lowered the toy and smiled at Sheppard. This glowing look was the one he'd been waiting for. For a moment all he felt was a tingle shoot through his body. It wasn't an unexpected feeling, but it made him nervous nonetheless. He was treading on dangerous territory.

"It is all perfect," Teyla said. When she admired the whole room once more Sheppard seized the opportunity to take a deep breath and calm his pounding heart.

_You've done a good thing for her_, he thought. _That's enough._

At that moment they were interrupted by Major Carter's voice on Sheppard's headset.

"John, I need you and your team in the control room immediately."

"We're on our way," Sheppard replied. "Let's go," he said to his team. Rodney rushed out, clearly happy to be out of what was, for him, an awkward situation. Ronon already had a hand on his gun. Sheppard gestured for Teyla to go ahead of him, and as she passed, she squeezed his arm.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome."


	2. Chapter 2

The gateroom buzzed with the chaos of a mission gone wrong. Teyla knew that Major Lorne's team was due back that afternoon. She scanned the room and spotted the Major gesturing wildly as he talked to Colonel Carter. Lorne pointed at Teyla and Colonel Carter rushed over to her.

"Teyla, John, follow me," she ordered. Teyla noted that the Colonel had addressed her first. _What could I be more immediately helpful for than John?_ she wondered. For a moment hope bubbled inside her – perhaps her people had been found. Then the hope fizzled, replaced with anxiety. From the look on the Colonel's face, she did not have good news. Finding out that her people were gone forever would be . . would be . . . it was too terrible to finish the thought. She suddenly realized that she was clutching John's arm.

"You okay?" he asked. She dropped her hand to her side.

"Yes," she answered. He smiled in the goofy way that made him look baffled no matter how smart he may be. He guided her ahead of him and they hurried after Colonel Carter.

"Thanks for dragging us out here!" Rodney shouted, obviously annoyed at being left just standing there. "I'm sure that my superior intellect will be of no use!"

In perfect contrast, Ronon asked, "Isn't there something for me to shoot? Maybe some fuzzy bunnies and ducks?"

"Ha ha," Rodney shot back, ineffectively.

Teyla smiled, but her grin faded when she saw why they had been beckoned. Lorne's team had brought back a stretcher – not bearing an Atlantian but rather an unfortunate alien man whose chest was torn open.

"How is he still alive?" John asked.

"I know him," Teyla replied.

"What?"

"It must be true," Colonel Carter confirmed. "He's been asking for you."

Teyla gracefully pushed past two of Lorne's men and knelt down beside the dying man.

"Lyam?" she said gently. "What happened?"

Lyam coughed and blood bubbled from his mouth. Not long ago he had been an attractive man. Tall and thin with neatly trimmed dark hair he had been quite a catch on his native planet. The last time Teyla had seen him was the day he announced his engagement. Her stomach churned at seeing him so badly injured.

"Had to leave . . ." Lyam sputtered. "Knew too much . . ." He coughed again and more blood spurted from him mouth and nose.

"That's enough!" Dr. Keller muscled to the front of the group. For a small woman she commanded difficult situations with ease. "He needs to be in the infirmary."

Major Lorne and two of his men jostled Teyla back. She automatically shielded her slightly bulging belly. Even after four months it seemed like a strange motion.

"Wait! Lyam managed to shout. "Teyla!"

Teyla rushed to his side. Lorne and his men paused while Dr. Keller looked on anxiously. Lyam grabbed Teyla's arm and pulled her close.

"You were right," he hissed. "You need to go back to Kaliss. Find the Heart of Kaliss. Find it . . ." And with that he was gone.

Teyla was pushed back by the onslaught of Dr. Keller, a med team, and a crash cart. She was vaguely aware of attempts to save Lyam's life, but she knew that it was too late. Lyam, and whatever help he could give her, was gone. _The Heart of Kaliss?_ She thought. _How could I possibly find that? _Ahand on her arm brought her back from her wonderings.

"Teyla?" John asked. "Let's get away from here." They retreated to where Ronon and Rodney still waited, looking both somber and confused.

"What happened?" Ronon asked. All three men stared at Teyla.

"It is a very long story," Teyla said.

"We've got time," John said.

At that moment, Colonel Carter approached them.

"In my office. Ten minutes," she said. "I want to hear that long story too."


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, as promised I have crawled out from under the covers, swallowed my pride, and written a real chapter. Enjoy the Sheyla (without a trace of anything else)! (Especially since it may be awhile until the next one).

Chapter 3

Sheppard encouraged Teyla to sit down in the comfortable chair in Colonel Carter's office. He was surprised when she didn't protest. A few weeks before Teyla had lectured her three teammates about their overprotective behavior.

"I may be pregnant," she had said. "But I am still Teyla." They correctly took that to mean, "I can still easily knock you to the floor. And I will." Even Ronon had backed off.

_She must be shocked if she's so willing to sit while the rest of us stand_, Sheppard thought.

"What's going on?" Ronon asked as he spun his gun back and forth in his hand. Rodney leaned against the Colonel's desk, arms folded across his chest.

"I believe that I should wait until Colonel Carter arrives," Teyla said. "Then I will tell you as much as I can."

"What do you mean 'as much as you can?'" Rodney asked. "Is this top secret or something?"

"Shut up, Rodney," Sheppard growled.

"Stop telling me to shut up!" Rodney replied. Sheppard realized that it was the third time that day that he had done so. Surprisingly, Rodney listened.

"It is alright, John," Teyla said calmly.

_No, it's clearly not,_ Sheppard thought. _You're turning paler by the minute._ But instead of saying anything to her, he simply rested a hand on her shoulder. She relaxed a little under his touch and that encouraged Sheppard to pull a chair up beside her and sit down. It was uncomfortable to want to protect her, but not know what from or how. He settled on draping his arm across the back of her chair – not touching her, but trying to be as close as was acceptably possible. He could practically feel Rodney and Ronon staring at him from behind. Ronon in particular seemed to be boring a whole in the back of his head. Sheppard guessed that it was because Ronon seemed to have appointed himself as Teyla's little brother – a role that he took as seriously as his fighting.

"Relax, big guy," he muttered.

"John?" Teyla asked.

"Nevermind." Thankfully Colonel Carter entered the room and Sheppard didn't have to further explain his comment.

"I'm sorry to say that we lost Lyam," she said. "There really wasn't anything that Dr. Keller could do. I wish it could have been different, Teyla." As she sank into her chair Sheppard noticed that she seemed exhausted. He didn't blame her – no matter her impressive background, running Atlantis was a taxing job. "I hope you have some good news for me."

"I am not sure if it is good news," Teyla replied. "At best I have an interesting story."

"Well, let's hear it," Colonel Carter said. She straightened in her chair and regained her normal composure.

"Alright." Teyla sighed almost imperceptibly and Sheppard allowed his thumb to rest against her shoulder. If she noticed, she gave no indication. Sheppard liked to think that he was giving her strength to tell an obviously difficult tale.

"A few years ago my people attempted to form trade relations with the people of Kaliss. We had heard that they were developing a cure for a common ailment among many of the civilizations in our galaxy. In return for knowledge of the cure we were offering crops and seasonal labor. It seemed an ordinary enough negotiation – at first. We were never allowed in the central city, only in a nearby village."

"That seems strange to me," Ronon interrupted.

"Well, yes, I suppose it was. Although we simply assumed that they wanted time to trust us before they would bring us to the city. But we never even got close. In fact, after several weeks of talks and showing them our crops and labor practices they simply asked us to leave their planet and never come back."

"Did you have any idea why?" Colonel Carter asked.

"We had been developing suspicions for awhile. They people of Kaliss had some unusual traits. They knew of the Wraith and had suffered from their attacks in the past, but were no longer afraid of them. They lived in the open – at least those in the village whom we met. Lyam was among them."

"Did they have some sort of shield or something?" asked Rodney. He suddenly looked much more interested in Teyla's story.

"I do not know," Teyla explained. "They would not say. Or rather, they could not say. None of the people in the village had any idea how they were protected. They were told by their leaders that there was nothing to fear and they believed them."

"That seems a little suspicious," Sheppard said.

"Yes," Teyla said. "I thought so too. As did Lyam. He was the one person from Kaliss who would speak openly with me."

_I'll bet,_ Sheppard thought. It wasn't the first time that he had felt jealous about Teyla merely speaking to another man. There had been plenty of nights when he'd lain awake contemplating his feelings for the beautiful Athosian. But with her pregnant he had done his best to simply bury those feelings. That day, however, her wonderful reaction to the nursery and distress over Lyam's death were making it very hard to keep his affection concealed. Without realizing it, he had shifted his arm completely around her shoulder. He jolted it back to the chair and refocused on her story. She was responding to some question that Colonel Carter had asked.

"Lyam was suspicious of the Kaliss Commission – the ruling body. They were the only members of the community who lived in the Central City. Everyone else had a dwelling in one of the outer villages."

"This sounds very diplomatic," Rodney said sarcastically. "Seriously, what was wrong with these people?"

Teyla looked annoyed for the first time that day.

"They are not idiots Rodney, I believe that they were just used to a way of life. Many cultures have a ruling body that has better living quarters than their citizens."

"But still, they clearly didn't have any good idea of what was going on. And it seems like they didn't care. Were they robots?"

"No," Teyla said patiently. "They were not robots. They had everything they needed so they had no reason to complain. But still, Lyam was suspicious. And he had good reason to be. The day that we were asked to leave he brought me to a cave that he had found. There was writing on the wall that he believed to be an ancient form of Kalisian writing. He had translated enough to determine an interesting piece of Kalisian history. Several thousand years ago a Kalisian man witnessed a Wraith attack and survived. He recorded that he saw the Wraith take several hundred ordinary Kalisian citizens. But when a Wraith approached one of the Commission Members it stopped, stared at the man, then simply turned around and walked away."

For a moment everyone in the room was quiet.

"I am not telling a lie," Teyla said, somewhat defensively. "That is what the writing said."

"Or at least what Lyam _thought_ that it said," Rodney said. "How do we know that he was right?"

"Rodney!" John exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but it sounds crazy to me. Why would a Wraith just walk away from someone?"

"It is true that Lyam's translation could be questioned. But there was something about the Kalisian attitude towards the Wraith that made me believe that he was right. I cannot explain it – I just knew."

"What about the Heart of Kaliss?" Colonel Carter asked. "Did he say anything about that?"

"That was the other part of the writing that he managed to translate. It said, "I believe the Heart of Kaliss will explain why this happened. But that was the end of the writing. It actually appeared that someone had attempted to destroy the cave, but had been unsuccessful."

It didn't seem like a horrible story to Sheppard. Strange, a bit unbelievable – but then, this _was_ Atlantis – but not horrible. It wasn't until Teyla added one more thing to her tale that he realized why she was so troubled.

"We heard several months later that a number of Kalisians were killed in a revolt. I assumed that Lyam was among them. It appears, however, that he got away. He was a good man."

This time Sheppard allowed himself to squeeze her shoulder before he dropped his arm in his lap. She gave him a small smile. She was far too sad for his liking. He desperately wanted to do something about it – but couldn't think of one thing that he would actually be allowed to do. Sadly, picking her up and carrying her into a quiet corner where he would cradle her against his chest did not seem like a feasible option.

_Damn it, Sheppard,_ he thought. _Snap out of it._

Colonel Carter stood up and paced back and forth until she returned to her desk and rested against it.

"You've been talking about the Kalisians in past tense," she said. "But I assume that they're still around – still mysteriously protecting at least some of their people from the Wraith. And if that's the case, then we need to connect with them."

Teyla shook her head.

"I am not sure that it will be possible. They made it clear that we were never to return."

"And didn't we agree that Teyla would stop going on more dangerous missions?" Ronon asked. "At least until the baby is born." His arms were crossed over his chest and he was glaring – not at anyone in particular but rather in a way that made everyone feel chastised.

"I think you're going to need her for this one," Colonel Carter said. "She knows the people and the territory. And if she tells them about Lyam they may be willing to talk to her."

"You want me to talk to them about Lyam?" Teyla asked.

"Yes," Colonel Carter said. "And more. I want you to go to them and explain that you have the body and offer to bring it to be buried on Kaliss. From there perhaps you'll be able to negotiate trade relations."

"Are you kidding?" Rodney demanded. "There are _so_ many things that could go wrong with that plan. They could believe that we killed Lyam. They could try to kill Teyla on the spot. They could be in league with the Wraith . . ."

"Lyam was a rebel," Ronon interrupted. "Trust me, they'll want that body."

Sheppard looked at Teyla. He had never seen her look so upset. She was clearly not pleased at the thought of bringing Lyam's body to the people who had tried to kill him.

He was surprised when she said, "If it must be done."

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was necessary. The important thing is going to be finding a way to stay there long enough to get some answers. Teyla, do you think you could find that cave again?"

"Yes, I believe so. Why?"

"Because if you can get some pictures of it then we may be able to get a complete translation. Assuming I can get in touch with Daniel."

"Dr. Jackson?" Teyla asked.

"Yes. If anyone can translate it, he can."

"I would like to reiterate how bad of an idea this is," Rodney said. He looked stricken.

Colonel Carter smirked at him.

"Rodney, most of the things we do are a bad idea," she said. "You should be used to it by now."

"Doesn't mean I like it," Rodney muttered.

"So when do we leave?" Ronon asked.

"In an hour," Colonel Carter said. "While you're gone I'll contact Daniel and have Dr. Keller prepare Lyam's body. Hopefully when you come back we'll be ready for a second trip."

"Alright. Let's go." The team followed Ronon out of Colonel Carter's office.

"John!" she called. "Wait a minute, please."

Sheppard turned around and walked to the front of her desk.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Unfortunately Rodney was right. I don't have to tell you how badly this could go," she said. "And Teyla is in more danger than any of you – both physically and emotionally. It's true that she should be staying in the city until the baby is born. But this is too important to put off. Make sure you keep an eye on her. Keep her behind you, don't let her go off by herself – you know the drill."

Sheppard nodded. If only Colonel Carter knew how badly he wanted to protect Teyla. Then she wouldn't find it necessary to remind him.

"You don't have to worry about it," he said. "I always have an eye on my team." _Sometimes both eyes . . . for a little too long, _he thought.

"I know," Colonel Carter said. "I'll see you in the Gateroom in an hour."

John gave her a little nod and jogged out of the office. He had a lot to do in an hour – but first he needed to talk to Teyla. When he reached her quarters the door was open. He stepped inside quietly and found her standing in the middle of the room, staring at the gun on her newly decorated wall.

"It's not loaded, you know," he said.

Teyla turned and smiled at him.

"That is good to hear. I was a little concerned."

John walked over beside her as he added, "Ronon originally put it up there fully loaded and functional. When he wasn't looking I took it down, took out the bullets, and broke it. I mean, you can't tell when you look at it, but it won't work. I didn't want it to be noticeable or Ronon would be furious."

"Yes, I believe that he would," Teyla mused. "It was a nice gesture though."

"Yeah, he put a lot of thought into it. We all did."

Teyla faced him and peered up into his eyes.

"I appreciate it very much. Thank you."

Sheppard felt his cheeks flush.

"You're welcome. I . . . we . . . were glad to do it."

"I'm sure the baby will love it."

Sheppard was quiet for a moment as they admired the room together. He knew what he wanted to say to her but had become incredibly nervous. He had a crazy idea and he hoped that it was actually a good idea – not just his emotions talking. When Teyla walked over to her dresser and started packing her bag he finally worked up his courage.

"I'm a little worried about this mission," he said. "And I'd feel better if I knew that you'd be safe."

Teyla stuffed a shirt in her bag as she said, "We can never guarantee that we'll be safe on a mission."

"I know," Sheppard stuttered. "It's just different now. I mean, with you being pregnant . . ."

Teyla didn't look at Sheppard but her words made him feel like she was shooting him one of her classic stern looks.

"John, this is sounding dangerously like the conversations that we used to have before I asked you not to treat me like an invalid."

"I know, but just listen to me. I respect you and I know that you're more than capable of defending yourself. But you have to accept the fact that for a little while you're not going to be able to act like your normal self. Which is why, while we're on Kaliss, I think that we should pretend to be married."

In surprise, Teyla's head snapped up.

"John . . . what do you mean?"

Now that the words were out Sheppard knew that he couldn't take them back. He took a deep breath to calm his pounding heart and managed to hold her gaze as he explained.

"It will allow me to stay close to you at all times. Sometimes when we're on missions we get split up at night. I don't want that to happen this time."

Sheppard wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he thought that Teyla was flustered. She was rapidly shoving more items into her bag and wouldn't look at him. With her auburn hair falling in front of her face he couldn't see if she was blushing.

"Do you not think that might be too much?" she asked.

Sheppard had no idea what he reasonably thought about the situation. He was too distracted by his desire to rush over to her and throw her down on the bed.

"No," he managed to squeak out. "I think it's necessary."

Teyla finally looked at him again. She wasn't blushing but she didn't look angry either.

"If that is truly what you believe, then I will agree," she said.

"Good," Sheppard said. "I'll see you in an hour."

"Alright."

As he left Teyla's quarters he thought, _I don't think I've ever been more excited about a mission before._ He couldn't wait to step through the gate.


	4. Chapter 4

After John left, Teyla stood in front of her half-packed bag and took a deep breath. As she let it out she chuckled. John and her had experienced some awkward moments in the past – the kiss after their sparring session, his confession to her that the team was like his family – but this undoubtedly beat them all. And yet, it wasn't just awkward. It was also strangely appealing. A child with John as a father and Ronon and Rodney as "uncles" would be a smart aleck warrior who could save the world with just a computer. The thought made Teyla chuckle again. But then she frowned. She wasn't ready to let go of the hope that the baby's real father would return.

Wishing to put all her difficult thoughts out of her mind, Teyla quickly finished packing her bag, pulled on her uniform, and hurried out the door to find Major Lorne. She had questions about Lyam that she hoped Lorne could answer. She found him in the infirmary.

"I'm really alright, Dr. Keller," he said, moving his shoulder back and forth. A small cut marred his toned soldier's body. Dr. Keller leaned over the wound with a needle and thread in her hand.

"That's what they all say," she said. "And if I listened then we'd have even more alien diseases and threats of apocalypse."

"Ouch!" Lorne exclaimed. Dr. Keller had poked him with the needle.

"I did not know that you were under fire on your mission," Teyla said. "Is that how Lyam got hurt?"

Both Lorne and Dr. Keller looked up at her. Dr. Keller frowned slightly. Teyla knew that the doctor must be feeling terrible about not being able to save Lyam. Perhaps that was why she was treating Major Lorne's cut like a fatal injury.

"We weren't under fire," Lorne said. He grimaced as the doctor returned to treating his wound. "I ran into a particularly spiky tree."

"A tree?" Teyla asked.

"That's right, a tree. It wasn't spiky until I got near it . . . anyway, I don't need to rehash my stupidity again."

"You're all done, Major," Dr. Keller announced. Lorne slid off the cot and pulled on his camouflage jacket.

"Thanks Doc," he said. "Walk with me, Teyla. I'll explain what I can."

"Before you go," Dr. Keller interrupted. "Let me talk to Teyla."

Major Lorne nodded and went to wait by the door.

"There is really nothing to talk about," Teyla said. "I know that Lyam's death was not your fault."

Dr. Keller didn't smile but she seemed relieved. She squeezed Teyla's arm.

"Be careful, Teyla. As your doctor I wouldn't recommend sending you out in the field right now. But I know this is important."

"I will be careful," Teyla promised. She nodded to Dr. Keller and went to join Major Lorne at the infirmary door.

"Rough day, huh?" Major Lorne said.

"Yes. And it is not over yet."

"Well let me walk you to the Gateroom."

They traveled several hallways before Lorne started speaking again.

"Lyam was in pretty bad shape when we found him. He barely escaped from his home world. He'd been living with some pretty bad wounds for over a year. Just hanging on to life. I think when he found his way back to you he felt like he could finally let go."

"But why?" Teyla asked.

"I think you can answer that better than me. He said something about a revolution and needing your help. Does any of that sound familiar to you?"

"Yes. It does."

A few minutes later they arrived at the Gateroom. Teyla smiled at Major Lorne.

"Thank you," she said.

"I'm not sure how much I helped, but you're welcome. Look out for yourself, alright?"

"I do not know why you are telling me to be careful. You are the one who was attacked by a tree."

Major Lorne scowled at Teyla.

"Don't let that get around," he said.

Teyla grinned. "I make no promises."

With another scowl and a wave, Major Lorne left. Teyla entered the Gateroom but paused when she heard Rodney's raised voice.

"Are you nuts?" he exclaimed. "You want to complicate an already insane mission with a ridiculous and pointless lie?"

"It's not pointless, Rodney," John replied. "We need to do something to protect Teyla. This seemed like the easiest way."

"You mean _you_ want to do something to protect her," Ronon growled. "Wouldn't it make more sense for me to just stand in front of her with a gun?"

"You can't do that every second. Plus it might not give off the 'we're here in peace' vibe that we're going for.'"

"You're an idiot," Rodney said. "You're clearly not thinking with your head."

"I agree," Ronon said. "We veto your decision."

"This isn't a democracy. I'm giving you an order."

"Fine," Ronon grumbled.

"I still think you're an idiot," Rodney said.

"Duly noted," John said. "Now, can we please not talk about this in front of Teyla?"

"It is too late," Teyla said, joining the men. All three gaped at her. Ronon in particular looked ridiculous with his mouth hanging open. Teyla pushed it shut. "This is my choice. John is right. I need extra protection right now." She raised her hand at Ronon as he started to speak. "And just a gun is not going to do it. So I do not want to hear any more complaining about it."

Her teammates looked like children who had been caught stealing cookies. Teyla couldn't help but smile at them.

"Can we go now?" she asked. "I would like to get this over with." As she said the words she realized that she didn't mean them. She was excited to be John Sheppard's pretend wife. As the shimmering blue of the wormhole flickered into view her new "husband" held out his arm. Teyla took it. Together, they stepped forward.


	5. Chapter 5

Sheppard's arm jerked free of Teyla's arm as they stumbled through the other side of the wormhole. He automatically reached out to steady her, but the graceful woman already stood strong, weapon raised. The sight of two Kalisian guards in full armor forced Sheppard's gun into the ready position as well. Behind him, Rodney and Ronon joined the team.

"Well we're off to a great start," Rodney complained.

"We're peaceful traders," Sheppard told the guards. Inwardly, he winced. He hated saying that – it was way too classic alien movie. The tanned Kalisian guards were not impressed with the cliché. The taller of the two statuesque men actually chuckled. "No really, we just want to talk," Sheppard added sarcastically.

"Teyla Emmagan," the taller guard said. "An entire planet tells you to leave and you come back? I thought you were the brains of your planet."

"What's with the stand-up routine?" Rodney asked. "What happened to friendly welcoming fire?"

The guard fired several shots into the air. Sheppard jumped in front of Teyla.

Rodney threw his hand up in the air and stuttered, "Geez, I was just kidding."

Teyla gripped Sheppard's arm and stepped up next to him.

"And I thought you were the brawn of your planet, Tyne" Teyla replied coolly.

"Teyla," Sheppard said through clenched teeth.

Tyne laughed and lowered his gun. His crony followed his example. Sheppard hesitated. He didn't want his team to be off their guard. _Then again,_ he thought, _Ronon is never off his guard._ Sheppard moved his weapon to his side and the team grudgingly followed.

"I always liked you, Teyla," Tyne said. His dark eyes wandered up and down Teyla's body.

"That's my _wife_ you're talking to," Sheppard growled.

"What?" Tyne sputtered. "That changes everything. See, I was going to give you the choice to just turn around and go right back through the Ring, but now I'd rather just shoot you." He aimed his gun at Teyla. "Or maybe just shoot the rest of them and keep you alive." Three guns immediately pointed at Tyne's head.

"There are four of us and two of you," Sheppard said evenly. "The odds are against you. So why don't you just put the guns down . . ."

"What kind of gun is that?" Ronon interrupted. Before anyone could say anything, Ronon grabbed the gun from Tyne's hand. His companion trained his weapon on Ronon, but nobody seemed to notice.

"Ronon, what are you doing?" Rodney asked.

Ronon turned the gun over in his hand and shook his head.

"This is no better than a toy," he said. He shook the wooden weapon and the back fell off and clattered to the ground.

"What is this?" Rodney exclaimed. "Some kind of joke?"

"Teyla?" Sheppard asked.

Teyla shrugged.

"They did not even have guards at the Gate before. Tyne?"

The gigantic man suddenly looked like a little boy in oversized armor. His companion continued to brandish his weapon until Tyne shook his head and pushed it down.

"There's no point, Jamyn." Tyne eyed Ronon who scoffed and threw the other half of the fake gun on the ground. Tyne took a step back from the Satedan.

"You might want to start explaining," Sheppard said. "Now."

"We're just supposed to bring you to the Commision. They're 'dealing with' all visitors now."

"Dealing with, huh," Sheppard said.

"Do they have toy guns too?" Ronon asked.

Tyne snorted. A little cockiness reappeared in his features.

"They don't need guns."

"You have some kind of all-knowing council?" Rodney asked.

Tyne shook his head.

"You really are an idiot, aren't you," he said.

"I'll have you know that I have several PHDs . . ."

"Rodney," Sheppard warned. "So what do we do here? If we want to talk to this 'Commission?'"

"You don't," Tyne replied. "They talk to you if they want to. Otherwise, you leave."

"Teyla, was this Commission always like this?" Sheppard asked. He tried to communicate his real question, which was "Do we have anything to worry about?"

"I never met directly with the Commission," Teyla replied, clearly understanding Sheppard's inference. "Just a few representatives."

"And it's not likely that you will this time either. You're better off just turning around and going back through to wherever you came from." Tyne suddenly made a face. "Why'd you come here anyway, Teyla?"

"We have Lyam's body. Some of our friends found him on one of their trading missions. He was badly injured and did not live. As a friendly gesture we hoped to return the body to Kaliss."

Tyne's entire demeanor changed. He jerked into a rigid soldier's stance. Even his arm jolted to his side as if he were still holding a gun. Jamyn did the same and his wooden gun rattled.

"Follow us," Tyne thundered.

"Oookay," Sheppard said. He shrugged to his team and they filed behind the two guards. Sheppard suddenly felt uneasy. Despite the obvious lack of threat posed by Tyne and Jamyn there was something suspicious about Kaliss. The Kalisian Commission might be a bunch of hype, but then again, this was The Pegasus Galaxy. Rarely were things as they seemed. Sheppard rested one hand on Teyla's back and cradled his gun in his other arm.

"Is there anything at all that you can tell me about the Commission?" he murmured.

Teyla leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "The Kalisian people seemed to both be afraid of them and revere them."

Teyla's breath tickling Sheppard's ear caused him to stumble on a rock. She grabbed him around the middle and he managed to stand up again. Tyne glared at them.

"Sorry," Sheppard said. He picked up the rock and threw it across the light green grass. It shimmered in the sunlight as it spiraled several feet away from the group. Tyne glared at Sheppard.

"Keep moving," he said robotically. His dark eyes were glazed over and his facial features remained rigid as he spoke.

"What's up with him?" Rodney whispered.

Teyla looked over her shoulder.

"I have seen it happen before," she replied quietly. "But I do not know why."

"Things we could have been told _before_ we came here," Rodney muttered.

"Quiet!" Tyne ordered. Ronon made a face that clearly said, "I could crush you with one hand." Sheppard shot him one that said, "Take it easy, big guy."

Kaliss's terrain consisted of broad fields of tiny yellow and white flowers, enormous oak-like trees, and most noticeably, pieces of the same opaque rock that had tripped Sheppard. Or possibly it was a gem – Sheppard wasn't sure. What he did know was that it was everywhere – single smooth stones randomly distributed on the ground, chunks that appeared to have been stacked into some sort of monument, even a tree with a number of pieces imbedded in the trunk. And when he looked closer, he noticed that Tyne and Jamyn both had round earrings made of the rock. Sheppard wanted to ask about the material but decided it was better to keep quiet.

After about and hour of walking they reached a small settlement. About a dozen small wooden dwellings formed a circle in a field. A number of simply dressed but healthy-looking Kalisians carried out their daily activities. Some were cooking over open fires, others washed clothes or worked with wood, and children wove in and out of the dwellings playing games. It was an ordinary enough scene – except for the ten foot tall tower of glistening rock in the center of town.

"This is the village where they used to bring us," Teyla explained. "Lyam's village."

Sheppard squeezed her hand. He held on for a moment longer than necessary until Teyla slowly released his grasp.

"Stay here," Tyne ordered. "We'll report to the council."

"Great," Sheppard said. "Sounds like a great time."

Tyne and Jamin continued marching north.

"I am not sure if these people will be happy to see me," Teyla said. "Perhaps we should just wait here, outside the village." But even as she spoke a woman broke free from a laundry line and raced over to Teyla. She threw her thin arms around Teyla.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. She pulled away and studied Teyla with her pale green eyes. She was a pretty young woman with long, brown hair. Despite her plain brown, leather dress she seemed elegant.

Teyla's face fell.

"Kera," she said. "This is Rodney, Ronon, and . . . my husband, John."

"Your husband?" Kera exclaimed. "Teyla, this is wonderful! I'm so happy for you!"

Teyla smiled and hugged Sheppard's arm. Sheppard couldn't help but smile.

"Who is this, dear?" he asked. The affectionate term jerked awkwardly out of his mouth. Rodney disguised a snort with a cough.

"This is Kera. Lyam's fiancé."

Kera frowned.

"I _was_ Lyam's fiancé. Until he disappeared."

"Yes, actually, that is why we are here," Teyla explained.

"What do you mean?" Kera asked.

Teyla let go of Sheppard's arm and took Kera's arm instead.

"Perhaps we should go sit down," she said. Kera pulled free of Teyla's grasp and shook her head.

"I knew that eventually there would be bad news. He was so badly hurt when he left. Just tell me what happened."

Teyla sighed.

"Some of our people found him. He was still alive when they brought him back to me, but he did not make it. He said enough to . . ."

"Stop," Kera interrupted. "I don't want to hear anymore." Tears glistened in her eyes. But there was something else, Sheppard thought. Fear. She had cut Teyla off for a reason.

"I am sorry to have to bring you the news," Teyla said. Kera nodded.

"Come with me to the village," Kera said. "We must plan a ceremony for Lyam. And I want to hear more about your husband. He's adorable." She winked at Sheppard and Rodney and Ronon both rolled their eyes. As Kera turned a necklace swung around her neck and a glossy stone settled against her chest.

"What is that rock?" Sheppard asked.

Kera lifted the stone and turned it over in her hand.

"It's a Kalin," she said. "Don't you have them?"

"Nope," Sheppard replied.

"I can't imagine not having them," Kera added. She rested the stone against her chest once more. "Now come with me." Kera led them to the center of the village, past the tower of Kalin. Teyla paused by the structure. It was taller than her, made of thousands of tiny Kalin stones.

"I never noticed before," she said. "The Kalin look just like a kaleidoscope. Do you not think so, John?"

"You're right," Sheppard agreed. He peered into the monument and colors danced before his eyes.

"Every village has one," Kera explained. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"And kind of mesmerizing," Rodney said. Ronon grunted.

"Come on," Kera said. "Let's go inside."

The group left the Kalin monument and headed for Kera's house. As he waved to some of the other villagers he wondered how long they had until Tyne returned. And if they would be able to see the Commission. Somehow they needed to get pictures of the cave writing, forge an alliance with the Kalisian people, and figure out if they had anything to gain from their mission. Clearly, their day wasn't over yet.


	6. Chapter 6

Kera's house was just large enough to hold a cot, a small table and chairs, and a cooking fire. It reminded Teyla of her childhood home. In fact, the sights and smells of the little village had yanked her down memory lane. But with her people missing it was impossible to sink into any pleasant reminiscences. Instead, she refocused on her current situation.

Kera, Teyla though, seemed far to calm about Lyam's death. The Kalisian woman smiled as she removed her Kalin pendant.

"It needs to be polished," she explained, and hung it on a nail by the animal pelt-covered door.

"It looks pretty shiny to me," Rodney said.

"Not shiny enough," Kera replied. She placed a pot of water over the fire and busied herself by pulling clay mugs from a series of nails in the wall and setting them on the table.

Rodney sat down in one of the small wooden chairs by the table. Ronon examined the other chair. It was clear to everyone that it would splinter under his weight. Instead of sitting he established his usual leaning pose and folded his arms across his chest. Teyla wanted to stand – she felt nervous and off-kilter. It was too strange to be back in this place. And everything was wrong; the guards at the gate, the fake guns, and Tyne's sudden controlled behavior were all signs that things on Kaliss had drastically changed.

"Teyla, why don't you have a seat?" John suggested. He stood so close behind her that one small step back would have connected her body with his. She wanted to take that step, to rest her head against his chest. Instead, she walked over to the other chair and sat down.

_You need to keep your head_, Teyla, she thought. _Do not get caught up in any ridiculous feelings._

"We'll have a ceremony for Lyam tonight," Kera said. "There's no point in putting it off. I just hope that you're still here."

"We have Lyam's body," Teyla said quietly. "We are hoping to be able to bring it back here. Would you like to wait until then to hold the ceremony?"

Kera set a mug in front of Teyla and stood up straight before she responded.

"In my mind I held a ceremony for Lyam long ago. He's gone to me, Teyla. Perhaps you can imagine what it would be like to lose your John. There's only so much that your heart can take."

"I understand," Ronon said, surprising everyone. He shrugged. "Well I do." Kera smiled at him.

Teyla didn't have to imagine Kera's scenario – she had lost her baby's father and her people. There were plenty of days when she wanted to give up hope entirely.

"Alright," she said. "We will help you hold the ceremony tonight."

"You think the Commission will want to talk to us soon?" John asked. He was leaning against the wall next to Ronon.

"I couldn't say," Kera replied. "They do things in their own time. But you're welcome to stay here until they call for you. Obviously I can't keep all of you here, but I'm sure some of the other villagers will offer housing."

"I am not sure," Teyla said. "I did not leave here on very good terms."

Kera, who had been removing the pot of water from the fire, suddenly stood up and faced Teyla.

"Nobody here blames you for any of the things that happened to us. You didn't kill Lyam. You didn't encourage an uprising. All you did was try to help your people. And I have no doubt that you would have helped us if it had been possible. I think you will find, Teyla, that the people of this village are very happy to see you again. Now, have some tea."

Kera added some dried leaves to the boiling water and carried the pot to the table. She carefully poured some of the liquid into the mugs then returned the pot to the floor.

John picked up one of the mugs and took a careful sip before he addressed Kera.

"We really need to know about that uprising," he said. "We can't help anyone unless we understand what's going on here."

"Drink your tea first," Kera said. "You must have had a long day."

"Do you have any food to go with this tea?" Rodney asked.

"There will be a meal soon," Kera replied. "When the sun starts to go down. You will find the tea quite filling."

Rodney made a face but took one of the mugs anyway. Ronon and Teyla, who were used to native herbal teas, were already almost finished. Teyla didn't remember this particular brew from her previous trips to Kaliss. It was a particularly strong drink and Rodney coughed over his first few sips.

"What is this made from?" Teyla asked.

"Just some local herbs," Kera said. She drained her tea in a few gulps – very much _unlike_ the normal way that one would drink tea.

"It tastes like_herwith_," Ronon said.

"It does," Teyla agreed. Ronon arched his eyebrows. "Not that I would know," Teyla quickly added.

"What's _herwith_?" Rodney asked.

"Pretty uncommon herb. It's used as medicine in small doses but better known as – what did you call it Sheppard? – and upper?"

Rodney spit tea back into his mug.

"You gave us some kind of local drug?" Rodney demanded. "What's going on here?"

"Just relax," Kera pleaded. "Yes, there is _herwith_ in the tea. But that's not all. And I gave it to you for good reason."

"I am not drinking some crazy drug . . ."

"There's not enough in here to do anything," Ronon interrupted. "Trust me."

Rodney seemed to relax and John had a bemused smile on his face.

"I think you have some stories to tell me, man," John said.

Ronon chugged the last of his tea and shrugged.

"All in good time," he said. "So what's the deal?" he asked Kera.

"Wait just a moment," Kera replied.

"Why?" Ronon asked. Then suddenly his whole body jerked. "What the . . ." he said.

"What's going on?" John asked. Before Kera could respond, both John and Rodney experienced a similar spasm. Then Teyla felt it. It was as if she were being yanked apart from something – but what? It was hard to pin down because it was as if she were suddenly disconnected from the atmosphere itself. She was still a stable part of the universe, but had broken free of something that she didn't even realize that she was a part of.

"Okay, now I really want some answers," Rodney demanded. "What the hell is going on here?"

"I've made it safe for us to talk," Kera explained. "But it won't last for long."

"But what happened?" Rodney continued to badger the Kalisian.

"Rodney, let the woman explain," John said.

"Thank you," Kera said. She bent down next to the table and motioned for John and Ronon to come closer. With a kick from John, Rodney gave up his seat and Kera sat down. The three men huddled around the table. John was wedged in next to Teyla, an arm around the back of her chair holding his balance. Teyla was very much aware of the unshaven chin that brushed her shoulder and the thumb that grazed her arm. To distract herself, she looked around the table.

_This is really very funny,_ she thought. _The three of them scrunched up like ducks._ Ronon, in particular, looked ridiculous as he tried to condense his huge body.

"Some of us have suspected for a long time that the Commission has a way of keeping an eye – or maybe an ear – on us. We don't really know how, but it seems to be related to the Kalin stones. That's why mine is over there." The team followed her eyes to where her Kalin stone pendant hung on the wall. "Not that I really believe that it does much good. The stones seem to have a pretty long reach. The only thing we've found that seems to have an affect on our connection is the _herwith_ brew that you just drank. But it's just speculation and _herwith_ is rare."

"What do you mean it's just speculation?" John asked. "You mean that the Commission could be listening in on our conversation?"

"It's possible," Kera said. "It's possible that they could come through my door and drag us all away. But they don't usually work that way. The uprising – how can I explain it? When Lyam and a few others tried to start rallying people and bring them against the Commission they didn't get very far. They were actually brought down by some people from a nearby village. It was quick and happened mostly while the 'rebels' were asleep. Lyam was awake, laying out plans, and that's how he managed to get away."

"Why did the other villagers attack them?" Teyla asked.

"That's what's so strange. There didn't seem to be any reason for it. The only possible explanation is that the Commission was using the villagers against each other. So you see why it's so difficult for us to do anything to change our society. We _have_ to follow the Commission. To most of the Kalisians that doesn't seem like a bad thing – we're safe, provided for, and the Wraith cannot attack us. Why would we want anything else? But then there's this control that the Commission has. It's simply not right."

"Why are you safe from the Wraith?" Rodney asked, completely ignoring everything else that Kera had said. John glared at him but Rodney didn't seem to notice.

"I don't know exactly. It's like I just _feel_ as if I'm safe. Besides, history tells us that the Wraith have always left Kaliss alone."

"Not some of the history we've heard," John said.

"What do you mean?" Kera asked. But before anyone could explain she held up her hand for silence. "The _herwith_ brew is wearing off. It's not safe to talk anymore." Her body jolted again and then Ronon's as well. Teyla felt herself being sucked back into the indescribable network. For a moment it was as if thousands of tiny threads grabbed onto her body. She felt a rush of thoughts and feelings that were not her own. Then it was over. She was just Teyla, sitting in a hard chair, with John Sheppard holding her hand. She looked at him and he raised his dark eyebrows.

"That was weird," he said. He, along with Ronon and Rodney, stood and stretched. Kera rose from her chair and collected some of the mugs.

"I think I'll wash these in the river," she announced. "Teyla, would you join me?"

"Of course," Teyla said. She took the two remaining mugs and followed Kera to the door.

"Make yourselves at home," Kera told the men.

"Maybe we'll walk around the village a bit," John said. Ronon looked grateful – he could barely stand in the tiny dwelling.

"Got any technology around that I could examine?" Rodney asked.

"Technology?" Kera replied.

"They do not, Rodney," Teyla told the disappointed scientist. "Perhaps you could take a look at the Kalin monument."

"Sure," Rodney grumbled. "I'll check out the creepy mind-controlling rocks. Sounds like a great time."

"Why don't you go with him, Ronon," John suggested. Ronon, who was used to watching Rodney's back, didn't argue. "You girls go ahead," John said, motioning to Kera and Teyla. "I can give you some space."

"Thank you, husband," Teyla tried out the word but its unfamiliarity caused her to speak awkwardly. _I am going to have to try harder to be a convincing wife, _Teyla thought. _It is unfortunate that I have no idea how to do so._

At that moment she could only think of one thing to do. She walked up to John, placed her hand on his chest, and kissed him. She meant it to be a brief kiss, but when John rested his hand on her hip and kissed her back she found that she couldn't pull away. She would have continued to kiss him if Rodney's sharp voice hadn't interrupted.

"Yes, we all love that you're a happily married coupled but perhaps you don't have to show it quite so openly."

Teyla stumbled back from John. He caught her and smiled. Teyla realized that she had the same goofy grin on her face that he did.

"It's adorable," Kera said. "I'm so glad to see you happy, Teyla."

Teyla sighed and turned away from John.

"Yes, happy," she echoed. She caught a glimpse of Ronon and all her happiness rushed away. He no longer looked angry, but concerned. He was right to look that way, Teyla knew. This thing with John was a terrible idea. If she had no feelings at all for the man then it would have been fine. But as it was – well, she didn't know what to think.

_What an incredible mess we have gotten ourselves into, John Sheppard,_ she thought.

Author's Note: Please let me know if this is worth continuing. I'm enjoying writing it, but the complicated plot line is making it quite a challenge. If nobody is interested then I'll put my efforts into something else. Thanks for all the past reviews! It's much appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Thanks for all the encouragement! I will definitely continue the story. I apologize that this chapter is just a short, fluffy piece. I promise the next chapter will get back to the main storyline.

Kalis's dark orange sun was just beginning to set when Sheppard followed Teyla out of Kera's home. The smell of roasting meat mixed with a sweet unidentifiable odor.

"Oh that smells fantastic," Rodney said.

"When you hear the call meet us over there," Kera said, pointing at the largest structure in the village.

"The call?" Rodney asked.

"Yes, you'll know it when you hear it."  
"Okay," Rodney said, arching his eyebrows. He and Ronon turned away towards the Kalin structure. Sheppard allowed Teyla and Kera to get several feet ahead of him before he followed. If he were ever really married, he knew that he didn't want to be one of those overprotective husbands. And realistically, no man married to a warrior like Teyla would feel inclined to shadow her every move. Somehow he had to keep an eye on her without looking like a scary stalker husband.

Sheppard followed the two women just outside the village to a small stream. While they walked he picked up snatches of their conversation.

"How did you meet John?" Kera asked.

"He came to my people after his planet was ravaged by the Wraith," Teyla explained. Sheppard took careful note of her lies in case he was questioned about them later. "We decided to form a team to visit other planets to trade and form an alliance against the Wraith." At least that part was true.

"And that's how you fell in love? Working together?"

"Yes, it was a surprise to both of us."

"You can't get away with that!" Kera exclaimed. "I want more details!"

_I do too,_ Sheppard thought. He was curious about how Teyla would explain their relationship. He supposed that they should have come up with a story.

"Well, we were on a mission on a planet," Teyla began awkwardly. "Just John and me. Rodney and Ronon stayed behind because they were . . . sick."

Not the best lie, Sheppard thought. He tried to imagine Ronon staying behind from a mission because he had the flu. It wasn't likely. Rodney, however, would stay in bed if he even suspected that he was sick. Luckily, Kera didn't know Ronon or Rodney well enough to know if Teyla was telling the truth. She continued her story.

"We were captured and kept in a small cell together for a week. John was injured and I cared for him the best I could, but I believed that he would die. On our last night on the planet he began to drift away from me. I found myself begging him to stay in this world and I realized that I had fallen in love with him. I told him so, although I didn't think that he would ever really hear me. I held his hand and kissed him and was as prepared as I could to let him go. But we were lucky. Some of our people came and rescued us."

They had reached the stream and both women bent down to rinse the mugs in the shallow water. Sheppard moved a little closer so he could hear the rest of the tale. He was caught up in Teyla's imaginary version of how they had gotten together. It was so believable that he felt like it had actually happened. He wished that it had actually happened. Well, not the almost dying part, but definitely the rest.

"What happened after you got back home?" Kera asked.

"I did not believe that John knew that I loved him and I did not want to seem too eager. So I avoided him while he was recovering. Then one day he called me to him. He told me that he heard what I said and that he loved me too. Then he kissed me and, not much time passed before we were married."

Kera stood up, dripping mugs in her hands, and hugged Teyla.

"I'm so glad that you've had some romance in your life. It's nice to know that even though it didn't work out for me, it does for other people."

Teyla hugged Kera back. Sheppard wished that he were the recipient of that hug.

_I've definitely dug myself into a hole,_ he thought. _Stupid idea, John. Pretend to be married. Why didn't you just stab yourself in the heart?_

Teyla and Kera began to walk back towards him. Tears glistened in Kera's eyes – the first evidence of how genuinely upset she was over Lyam's death. But Sheppard barely noticed her. He was staring at Teyla. She was so beautiful with her auburn hair falling loose around her face. She didn't look at Sheppard and he thought he noticed a slight blush in her cheeks. Was it just the brilliant light of the setting sun or was Teyla embarrassed about her story?

Without giving it any more thought Sheppard almost ran towards her, wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her off the ground and kissed her. As he kissed her again he spun her around. Then he set her down gently and kissed her one last time. He pulled back and saw that now she was definitely blushing.

"John, I . . ." she stuttered.

"You are so romantic!" Kera practically shrieked. "I wish that Lyam had been more like you."

"It's that story of how we got together," Sheppard explained. "It turns me on."

"Me too," Teyla murmured.

Suddenly a voice thundered across the village.

"Time to eeeeaaaattt!!"

"That must be 'the call'" Sheppard said, wincing.

"I told you that you'd know it when you heard it," Kera replied with a grin. "You go on and eat. We'll join you soon."

Sheppard nodded, winked at Teyla, and then headed to the building that Kera had pointed out earlier. Half way there he realized that he still had a stupid grin on his face.

"What happened to you?" Rodney asked, when he met up with the other members of his team who were waiting by the Kalin monument.

"Nothing," Sheppard replied defensively. "Just heard a good story."

"Yeah," Rodney said. "Whatever. Let's go eat."


	8. Chapter 8

Teyla couldn't eat her Kalisian stew. It was strange, since lately she ate everything. She had missed the hearty Kalisian meals and the community aspect of an entire village sharing mealtime. Eating in the mess hall on Atlantis wasn't the same. And the food on Atlantis didn't even come close to being as good.

That night, however, she could only play with the stew. She plunged her wooden spoon into the thick mixture then dropped it back into the bowl.

"Is there something wrong with the food?" Rodney asked, tactlessly. "You'll usually eat anything."

"No, Rodney," Teyla replied. "The food is fine. It is my stomach that is the problem," Teyla lied.

"Oh," Rodney said. They sat at a long wooden table – one of three that took up most of the space in the community building. The space was crowded and noisy, but it was a comforting kind of chaos. No matter the problems that the Kalisians had with their Commission they had maintained many aspects of civilization that Teyla enjoyed.

"So, what's in this?" Rodney asked Kera. She spooned a large bite of the stew into her mouth and chewed slowly while she studied Rodney. After she swallowed she finally spoke.

"Rabbit, onion, local vegetables, a few spices, powdered Kalin stone . . ."

Rodney coughed and the food fell out of his mouth. Most of it missed his bowl and landed on the table.

"I'm eating that crazy stone?" he squeaked. Sheppard and Ronon were also looking suspiciously at Kera. She grinned.

"No! Of course not. You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

Rodney rolled his eyes and the rest of the team laughed at him.

"Great," Rodney muttered. "Getting made fun of by a stranger. Just what I need . . ." He shoved some food in his mouth and finally started eating in a more typical Rodney fashion.

"You should eat too," John said gently. Teyla glanced up and realized that he was talking to her, but he wasn't looking at her.

_There it is,_ she thought. _The awkwardness returns._ John had always been so uncomfortable with expressing his emotions that his sudden outward displays of affection had completely thrown her off. It was as if she'd been walking on a straight path that had suddenly plunged downward. And his kiss, well, that had been . . . confusing. Wonderful, dizzying, overwhelming, and sad – because once again she was reminded that Kanan was gone – but mostly just very confusing.

"I am not hungry," she said.

"You don't have any cravings?" John asked.

"I would like more tea. Do you have more, Kera?"

Her Kalisian friend studied her for a moment. Teyla did her best to communicate with her eyes that they needed to have another private conversation. They needed to get to the caves and take pictures of the writing that Lyam had tried to translate. She was pretty sure that as soon as the Commission called for them they would lose all opportunity to move around the planet freely. If they were actually able to do that now.

"I do have some," Kera replied. "After Lyam's ceremony I'll brew it for you. It will help you sleep."

"Thank you," Teyla said. At that moment the baby kicked her quite hard. She clutched her stomach. Kera narrowed her eyebrows and Teyla tried to smile innocently. "I guess I am hungrier than I thought," she said. _And I need to remember that I am not just eating for me._

She ate her stew. After the meal they delivered their dishes to a small group of men and women who Kera said were taking their weekly turn to cook and clean up a meal. Then she brought them out to the Kalin monument. It was dark and a number of villagers were lighting lanterns around the dwellings.

"We'll begin the ceremony soon," Kera explained. "Ronon and Rodney, we need to gather benches from dwellings around the village. If you ask people for them they will be happy to let you borrow them."

"Alright," Ronon said. He and Rodney walked away to collect the benches. Kera sent John to her home to get a box of candles. He glanced at Teyla before he left but didn't say anything to her.

Kera bent in front of the monument and cleared some dirt to create an even space. As she stood up and brushed off her hands she said, "You're pregnant, aren't you."

"Yes," Teyla replied, startled. "How did you know?"

"Just little things," Kera said. "And are you really married to John?"

How could she possibly suspect that they weren't married? Teyla wondered. She had thought that they were doing a good job of playing their parts.

"Of course we're married," Teyla replied. "I don't wear my ring on missions because I'm afraid that I'll lose it."

"That wasn't what made me suspicious," Kera explained. "It's this feeling that there's something unexpressed between the two of you. But it must just be that you're so newly married. Anyway, he seems wonderful and I'm happy that you have him."

"Thank you," Teyla said. She was grateful that both Rodney and Ronon returned, interrupting any further conversation. Rodney struggled with one short bench while Ronon had a long one under each arm. He dropped them effortlessly and smiled gently at Teyla. Suddenly, she wanted desperately to talk to him. He might not be able to give Teyla much advice, but at least he would listen to her confusion and concerns. Even just sharing a silent exchange with him helped to calm her spirits. Which was good, since John also returned, bearing the box of candles.

While Rodney and Ronon continued gathering benches, Teyla, Kera, and John set up candles around the perimeter of the Kalin monument. Slowly, the villagers gathered at the benches. Many brought flowers of shards of Kalin stone which they laid by the monument.

"Will you stand beside me?" Kera asked Teyla. "It's customary for a friend of the deceased to assist with the ceremony."

"Of course," Teyla replied. Her three male companions took seats among the villagers. The Kalin monument sparkled eerily in the light of the candles. Teyla felt as if she were being drawn into its center. The mesmerized faces of the villagers said that they experienced the same feeling. Teyla was off-balance and something else that was harder to pin down. Disconnected, maybe. As if she'd been cut off from her own being. Almost the exact opposite of how she had felt after drinking the tea earlier that day.

Kera was speaking about Lyam's life. How much he had loved the little village. How hard he had worked. _Clearly,_ Teyla thought, _she is not saying anything about his real life._ How did you give a proper farewell to a rebel when those he rebelled against could be listening in? You couldn't.

"Tomorrow we will place a stone for Lyam in the Field of Remembrance. Please extinguish a candle in his memory before you leave," Kera said. She knelt and with a quick breath eliminated one of the flames. Teyla did the same. One by one the villagers rose and blew out a candle. Most of them returned to their own dwelling, but a few stayed and spoke to Kera or sat down on a bench.

Teyla knew enough about Kalisian tradition to realize that Lyam's ceremony was much shorter than was traditional. Usually the villagers stayed and spent long hours talking about the deceased. There was clearly still a lot of fear – maybe even resentment – surrounding Lyam's death. He had brought danger to a peaceful people. Undoubtedly many people were still angry about it.

John, Rodney, and Ronon extinguished the last of the candles.

"Come have some tea," Kera said. "Then we'll find a place for you to get some rest."

They returned to Kera's home and she brewed the tea. As Teyla drank she felt the same unusual sensations from the previous time. But now, after her discomfort at the Kalin monument, it was as if she were also being reassured. She hadn't known that she'd needed to be reminded that she was Teyla.

"I really hate that feeling," Rodney said.

"Hurry," Kera said. "This won't last long. What did you need to tell me?"

"We need to get to the caves where Lyam found the ancient writing. Do you think we have time before the Commission comes?"  
"I couldn't say. But you should go now if you're going to go. It's not far from here."

"I'll go," John said. "With Rodney. Teyla stay here with Ronon."

"What?" Rodney exclaimed. "No sleep again, I guess."

Teyla knew that Ronon should be going with John. No doubt he was leaving Ronon behind so that Teyla would be properly protected. Ronon didn't argue.

"Draw me a map," John said.

Teyla crouched down and etched out a rough map on the dirt floor.

"Over the field that we came through, past an abandoned Kalin monument, up these three hills, and then slide down this small cliff. You will have to squeeze under a short rock wall that has a tall tree in front of it. You will know the tree because there is a pattern of Kalin stones imbedded in it. They are shaped like a bird."

"Alright. Let's go."

John stood up then stumbled as the effects of the tea wore off. The rest of the group jolted as well.

"Get some sleep," John said. He hugged Teyla awkwardly. It reminded her of when she had hugged him not long before. She had just escaped after the Wraith queen had nearly killed her child. She'd been so scared.

"Come back quickly," she told him as he pulled away. "We do not know what will happen if you are not here when the Commission comes for us."

John nodded.

"I'll take care of her," Ronon said.

"I know," John replied. He nodded to them and he and Rodney left. Teyla watched him for a minute. Any closeness that she had begun to feel with him seemed to be leaking away. In frustration she scuffed away the map. Ronon helped her eliminate it.

"Maybe we should take a walk before we try to sleep," he said.

"I would like that," Teyla replied.

"Don't leave the village," Kera said. "It's not very safe at night."

"Alright," Teyla said.

Ronon and Teyla left Kera's home and began to wander the tiny village. There wasn't much ground to cover and after only about ten minutes Teyla sat down on one of the benches by the Kalin monument.

"Let's move it," Ronon suggested. Teyla agreed. She didn't like the idea of sitting near the monument any more than Ronon did. She stood up and Ronon grabbed the bench. He moved it to a corner of the village by the community structure. They sat together in silence for a long time. Finally, Teyla spoke.

"Do you remember when I first told you about my pregnancy?" she asked. "You were the one to congratulate me and walk me to the infirmary. You even held my hand. It was as if we were brother and sister."

"We kind of are," Ronon said. Teyla smiled and squeezed his hand.

"John was so angry," she said.

"Well he was worried about you. And didn't want you to put yourself in danger."

"I know. And he has been much more supportive of me."

"The nursery was his idea, you know. McKay and I never would have thought of that."

"It is all very confusing."

"The marriage thing, you mean."

"Yes. I still hope that Kanan will return. That we could have a real family."

"But?"

"But there is something about John. Something that this "marriage thing" is making much more complicated."

"I told you it was a bad idea."

"Actually, you did not."

"Well, I told Sheppard."

" Fine. You told John. What bothers me is that I knew that it was a bad idea but I went ahead with it."

"Because you wanted him."

"That is not what I said!"

Ronon punched her lightly on the arm.

"You didn't have to say it. It's obvious."

"It is?"

"I even told Sheppard once that I thought you two would get together."

"Ronon, you are very perceptive. I had no idea."

Ronon shrugged.

"So what should I do?" Teyla asked.

"Survive the next couple days. Be careful. Beyond that, I don't know."

"You are no help at all."

Ronon shrugged again. They were quiet for a minute.

"He cares about you," Ronon said. "That means something, I guess."

"Yes, it does," Teyla agreed.

"How was the kiss?" Ronon asked. Teyla swatted him.

"That is none of your business."

"Fine, fine. But those are the sorts of things that you tell brothers."

"Maybe someday."

"Good. So, we should try to get some sleep."

Teyla stood up as she said, "Yes, we should." She hugged Ronon tight, just for a moment. "Thank you," she whispered.

"No problem," Ronon replied. "I think I'll sleep outside Kera's house and you can sleep inside. There's no way that I'll fit in there."

Teyla chuckled.

"Alright,"

"We're here for the visitors!" a deep voice suddenly rumbled across the village.

"I don't think we're going to be sleeping," Ronon said.

"I guess not," Teyla replied. Tyne appeared, marching toward them. Five other soldiers followed.

"Where are the others?" he demanded.

"Exploring Kaliss," Teyla replied.

"Go find them," Tyne ordered two of the men. "You two, come with me."


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Hope you're still enjoying this! Thanks for the reviews. And Dutchess67, don't worry. I've completely thrown out the love triangle plot for fear that one of my readers would find their way to my house and beat me with a baseball bat. Plus I love the new Ronon/Keller ship on the show. So cute! So the most that will happen is that Sheppard will be irrationally jealous.**

"What's up with you?" Rodney demanded. Sheppard and he had just passed the abandoned Kalin monument and were starting up the first of the three hills. "Nothing's 'up with me,'" he replied.

"You sure? 'Cause you haven't said a word since we left."

Sheppard kicked a hard object that he couldn't identify in the dark.

"I'm just not feeling very talkative. It's been a long day."

"It doesn't have anything to do with Teyla and this fake marriage?"

"Nope."

"Really, I could swear that . . ."

"Rodney," Sheppard growled. "That's enough."

"Just trying to help," Rodney muttered. The first hill was small but on the second one Rodney huffed a little bit. Sheppard barely even noticed where he was walking. He was thinking about Teyla. He knew that he must look like a crazy man – kissing her one minute and ignoring her the next.

_I'm like a damn elementary school kid_, he thought. _I might as well just knock her down and run away._

"There is something," he said.

"I knew it," Rodney crowed.

"I think I'm falling for Teyla."

"This is supposed to be news? You have to be the only person on Atlantis that doesn't know that."

"C'mon, Rodney."

"No, really. There's even a pool going about how long it will take for you two to get together. It kind of got tossed out when Teyla got pregnant, but still."

"How long ago did this 'pool' start?" Sheppard demanded.

"About a year ago."

Sheppard ran a hand over his messy hair in frustration.

"You know, it's one thing to be trying to figure out my – feelings – for Teyla on my own, but I don't need a whole city of people watching my every move." He cringed at the word 'feelings.'

"Well maybe while we're away from Atlantis it's the perfect time for you to figure it all out."

They had reached the peak of the last hill. As Sheppard started the descent he said forcefully, "You do realize why this is a problem, right? Teyla and I can't just be together. She's pregnant with another man's baby."

"A man who's not around. Look, as a friend – I guess that's what we are – I'm telling you that you should go for it."

Sheppard held back any retorts about Rodney's inabilities with women. He didn't think Rodney would like to be reminded about his recent failure with Katie Brown.

"Well, thanks," he said lamely.

"This must be the cliff," Rodney said. They stood on the edge of a short, but sharp incline. In the dark in seemed more intimidating than it probably was. Sheppard sat down and flung his legs over the edge. He eased his body down, hoping that it was short enough that his toes would touch the ground before he had to drop. It wasn't. He let go and fell a few feet before thudding against the ground.

"It's not bad!" he called to Rodney. The scientist fell clumsily beside him.

"Ow," Rodney said. Sheppard rolled his eyes.

"There's the tree, c'mon," he said.

They walked over to a towering tree and saw the rock wall that Teyla had mentioned. Sheppard crouched down and peered under the opening at the bottom of the wall.

"Hand me a flashlight," he ordered. He thrust out his hand and Rodney dropped a flashlight into it. The light didn't reveal much but stone walls. Sheppard rolled the flashlight into the cave and pulled himself inside on his back. It was tight squeeze. _No way Ronon could do that, _Sheppard thought.

Rodney army-crawled and got temporarily stuck.

"My pack is caught," he explained.

"Roll over on your side," Sheppard suggested. Rodney did and managed to squeeze through.

Sheppard shone the light around the cave. Large sections of reddish-brown rock had crumbled down into uneven piles.

"Is that the writing?" Rodney asked, pointing at a far wall. The two men approached it and examined it in the light. The chaotic series of pictures and lines didn't look like organized writing.

"I sure hope they can track down Jackson," Sheppard said. "From what I hear he's the only person that could make sense of this gibberish."

He pulled a small digital camera from his pocket and snapped several photos.

"Think they'll turn out?" Rodney asked.

"I hope so." Sheppard pocketed the camera. "We should head back. I don't like leaving Tey . . I mean the rest of the team alone."

"Teyla's with Ronon. She'd be safe if an entire army attacked."

"That's not what I'm worried about," he muttered before he could stop himself. _Hell, I've gone from a stupid grade schooler to a lame, jealous high schooler. Be a man, Sheppard!_

He forced his body back through the opening, stood up, and brushed himself off. Rodney followed, this time without getting stuck.

"You can't possibly be jealous of Ronon," Rodney said. "You have noticed the way he looks at Keller lately, haven't you?"

"Yeah, yeah." He couldn't explain that his jealousy of Ronon and Teyla was not because they were romantic together, but because they had a comfortable relationship. He, on the other hand, was a bumbling idiot most of the time.

They started back up what was now the first hill and stayed silent until they were at the bottom of the third.

"Does the monument seem to be . . . glowing?" Sheppard asked. He approached it, but Rodney kept his distance.

"Yes," Rodney said. "Get away from it."

"Paranoid much?"

"Yes . . . I mean, no! Just, wait, do you hear something?"

"Yeah. Footsteps. And lots of them. I think we're being looked for."

"Great."

Sure enough, Tyne and his men appeared, marching towards them.

"Hey!" Sheppard called out. "Little late for a stroll, don't you think?"

"You're not supposed to be away from the village," Tyne called. "It's time to go see the Commission."

"Took long enough," Rodney grumbled.

Sheppard and Rodney approached the soldiers. Neither man had a moment to think before one of the Kalisians smashed them in the head.

Sheppard woke up with a throbbing head but a curiously comfortable side. He opened his eyes and found that he was staring at a blue pillow.

"What the hell," he mumbled.

"Don't sit up," Teyla said. He felt a warm hand on his head.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Palace of the Kalisian Commision."

"Palace?"

"That's what we're calling it," Ronon rumbled. "It's so much bigger than any of the other Kalisian dwellings."

"You two alright?"

"We're fine," Teyla said.

"And Rodney?"

"Still unconscious," Ronon replied.

Sheppard rolled over on his back. Teyla smiled gently at him. She sat next to him on a full-sized bed in a lavishly furnished room. The walls and floor were stone but the carpets, tapestries, and furniture made up for it. Sheppard eased into a sitting position and rested his feet on a thick red rug. Rodney was stretched out on a cot in the corner of the room.

"Have you met anyone from the Commission yet?" Sheppard asked.

"Nope," Ronon said. "We've just been in this room. Bored."

Still woozy, Sheppard grabbed Teyla's shoulder so he didn't fall backwards. She wrapped an arm around his back. Sheppard's stomach tingled. _There's that elementary student,_ he thought.

"They didn't knock you out too, did they?" he asked.

"Tried," Ronon replied. "I wouldn't let them."

"Good." Despite his jealousy, Sheppard was grateful to Ronon for taking care of Teyla. "So you saw how to get here?"

"Yup," Ronon confirmed. "There are some gates and then a few villages inside the gates. Then this huge stone palace."

"So it's feudal," Sheppard said.

"What's that?"

"Just a social structure that was part of Earth's history. Sort of like a pyramid of social importance."

"I think every society has that to an extent," Teyla said.

"Yes, well," Sheppard replied ineffectively. He wished that Rodney were awake so that someone on his team would understand what he was talking about. "Door locked?" he asked, continuing to take stock of his surroundings.

"I wanted to knock it down, but Teyla said no," Ronon explained.

"Good for her. Alright, so we wait."

"We wait," Teyla agreed.

**Your reviews make me a happy panda!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I wasn't so much experiencing writer's block as sort of slogging through a writer's molasses (i.e. it was ridiculously slow-going). It was an important chapter and I wanted it to be right. Thanks for all the reviews. I was indeed a happy, dancing panda.**

"Okay, I'm officially pissed off at these people," John grumbled. Teyla jolted awake. She had fallen asleep, head on John's lap. She hadn't meant to. She was just so damn tired from her pregnancy. So when he had noticed her heavy eyelids and had eased her down on the bed, she hadn't protested. She had fallen asleep to the gentle touch of his fingers stroking her hair.

Now that she was awake she awkwardly sat up. Ronon repeatedly banged his head against the wall. That was enough to prove that he was also very bored and very irritated. They had been waiting for several hours – long enough to be incredibly annoyed by a now conscious Rodney grumbling about his hunger.

"Sorry that I woke you," John said, smiling sweetly at Teyla. She couldn't help but smile back. It was infuriating to be so affected by a simple facial expression.

"It is alright," she replied. She yawned and stood to stretch out her cramped limbs. "I should not be sleeping right now anyway."

"We should all be sleeping," John said. "They're wearing us down on purpose."

"And starving us," Rodney complained. John chucked a power bar at Rodney that hit him in the face. Rodney shot John an angry look, but immediately tore off the wrapper. He shoved the bar in his mouth in two bites.

John stood up, paced to the door, banged his fist against it, and then leaned his forehead on the door.

"I would give anything to just be able to walk out of here right now," he said. "I can't stand all this diplomacy crap."

"This is nothing," Teyla replied. "I once waited for three days before I could talk to the leader of a planet."

"Ugh," John said.

"I say we just threaten the guards and force them to bring us to The Commission," Ronon said.

"Except that they took our weapons," John said. Ronon snorted and John turned to look at him.

"Have you learned nothing?" Ronon asked. He extracted two knives from his hair, one from under his shirt, another from inside his belt, and one from each shoe. "Those guards have some toy guns and that's all. We could take them."

"But we don't want to take them. Well, we _want_ to, but we can't or we'll ruin the mission. So I'm sorry, but we're stuck," John said.

"I'm giving them ten minutes," Ronon replied. John didn't try to argue anymore. Luckily, they didn't have to wait ten minutes more. A loud knock on the door actually caused John to jump.

"Well what do you know," he muttered. "We're finally being let out of here."

The door opened and Tyne stood on the other side.

"This better not just be another message," Ronon growled. The last time Tyne had brought them a message Ronon had nearly punched him in the face. Now, at Ronon's angry words, the large man actually winced.

"I'm going to bring you to the Common Hall now," Tyne explained. "The Commission is waiting for you."

"Hallelujah," John murmured. The four Atlantians followed Tyne into a tall, stone hallway. Teyla wasn't sure what to expect. She wasn't afraid – she'd seen too much and encountered too many people to be easily scared. And she had no doubt that the members of the Commission would not _look_ unusual or intimidating. They wouldn't be green-skinned or have thundering voices like some of the aliens in the absurd movies that John and Rodney liked. But still she was a little uneasy. They were walking into a mostly unknown situation and everything that she had heard about the Commission told her that they had extensive power. Worse, it came from a mysterious source.

Teyla was not surprised that the most noticeable thing about the Kalisian palace was the excess of Kalin stones. They were everywhere – the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling that towered above them. Teyla shuddered, but for a moment she wasn't sure why. John glanced at her and arched his eyebrows in question. She gestured to the stones with her head, unsure if she could fully communicate her meaning. These stones were not configured haphazardly like those in the village and along the path. They followed a definite pattern. It was almost as if they created a current, flowing outwards from some central source.

As they continued down the seemingly endless hallway Teyla began to feel a strange pull, as if something inside her were drawing her forward. It was an intensified version of what she had felt when Kera's tea had worn off. She noticed Rodney clutching at his chest. No doubt the hypochondriac scientist thought there was something seriously wrong with his body.

Finally the hallway ended in front of an enormous set of double doors.

"Are those marble?" Rodney asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tyne replied. "And I suggest that you shut up. You're best off waiting for the Commission members to speak to you before you say anything."

Ronon actually growled. Rodney muttered, "Great," and John sighed. Teyla almost smiled. Her teammates were definitely not the type to be told that they couldn't "speak until spoken to." This was not going to go well.

Tyne rapped on the door with his knuckles.

"Enter!" a man called. Tyne pushed open the large stone door and nodded to John. The latter led his team into a vast, nearly empty room. The only thing in the room was a long stone table that appeared to be made of the same material as the doors. Seven ordinary-looking people sat in high wooden chairs behind the table – four men and three women. They were dressed in loose white robes that seemed to shimmer in the muted light. The dimness made it difficult to distinguish many individual features, but eerily shiny Kalin stones stood out against their chests. They were far larger than any of the Kalin stones that Teyla had seen on Kaliss. She guessed that the stones were about the size of her hand.

"Teyla Emmagen," the man in the middle said. "Why did you come back here?"

Teyla took a step forward and John followed her, placing a hand on her back.

"In their travels some of our comrades discovered Lyam of the Sarin village. They brought him back to our city but he had sustained such serious injuries that he did not live long. We wish permission to return his body to Kaliss so that you may give him a proper burial."

"This evening there was a ceremony for Lyam in the village. I do not believe that his betrothed wants to bury his body." This comment came from a woman sitting at the end of the table.

"It is a gesture of goodwill that we have come here," Teyla replied evenly. "We would like to establish a friendship with your society. We are all fighting against the Wraith and the more we work together the stronger we will be."

Another man spoke up. "The Wraith do not concern us. We wish only to be left in peace. And you, Teyla Emmagen, are not welcome here. Your efforts to create 'friendship' previously led to a revolution on our otherwise peaceful planet. You were warned not to return."

"Now look here," John interjected his voice a little harsh. "We don't mean you any harm. If you don't want Lyam's body or our friendship then we'll leave."

One of the women actually snorted. It was a strangely emotional sound coming from a group of people that all spoke in deep monotone.

"You will do as we instruct. Now, the large man, Ronon Dex. He believes that we want Lyam's body because he was a traitor. There is some reason in that," she said.

_How could she possibly know that,_ Teyla wondered. Ronon shuffled a bit, clearly uncomfortable with the obvious invasion into his thoughts.

The man in the middle spoke again. "Send the warrior and the scientist to bring the body. Keep Teyla Emmagen here. And her . . . husband is it?"

"John Sheppard," John said. Teyla was now confused by the Commission's previous evidence of mind-reading. They should have been able to tell that John and she were not really married.

"You and your wife will remain here, contained in your room, until your friends return with the body. Then we will discuss letting you go."

"We won't 'discuss' anything," Ronon muttered.

"Ronon," John warned under his breath. Then he responded to the Commission, "That'll do. Now, is there something we could call you?"

"Kalinin," the man replied, not realizing that he'd saved himself from being dubbed some ridiculous name, like Steve and Todd the Wraith.

"Kalinin, then. I'd like to request that my men don't leave until the morning. They haven't slept in quite awhile."

"Tyne will come for them at daybreak," Kalinin said. "And I must warn you: if you are found outside your chamber during the night then we will not be so lenient with you."

"Understood," John replied.

The Commission fell silent and Tyne reappeared to bring them back to their "chamber" as Kalinin had called it. Once inside, Rodney threw himself down on the bed. Ronon, however, stood by the door, arms folded over his chest.

"What's the deal, Sheppard?" he asked. "I don't need to sleep."

"Well I do," Rodney protested.

John sat down on the cot and Teyla joined him.

"It's not about sleep," John whispered. "It's about the fact that we need to get a look around this place."

Rodney shot up.

"And how do you propose to do that? That Kalinin guy was pretty clear that we shouldn't go wandering around."

"Be quiet!" John said.

"I do not think that how loudly or quietly we speak matters," Teyla said. "They seem to know a lot of what we are thinking."

"I noticed that too," John said. "Why don't you three get a little sleep and I'll wake you up when I think we can sneak out for awhile."

"Oh good," Rodney said. He stretched out on the bed. Ronon cleared his throat. "What?" Rodney asked.

"It's pretty obvious that Teyla should get the bed," Ronon said. Rodney sat up, looking sheepish.

"Sorry, Teyla," he said.

"It is alright," Teyla replied. "I am not sure that I could sleep."

"You should try," John said.

And so a day that began with John, Ronon, and Rodney designing a nursery for Teyla ended with the team on a strange planet, captives of a powerful group of mind-controlling aliens. Not one member of the team found this the least bit strange.

**If you enjoyed my happy panda dance last time then review and you could see it again!**


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